Friction adjustment for levers



Aug. 14, 1945. E. F. PAIN D 2,382,330

FRICTION ADJUSTMENT FOR LEYERS Filed Oct. 18, 1943 4 Sheets-S heet 1 umuom Inn-minim Aug ,1 E. F. PAIN I FRICTION ADJUSTMENT FOR LEVERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fild. Oct. 18, 1945 Au .14,1945. I AIN H 2,3s2',330\

FRICTION ADJU STMENT FOR LEVERS Filed Oct. 18, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 which fall within the Patented Aug. 14, 1945 UNITED. STATE FRICTION ADJUSTMENT roa LEvEas Edwin-F. Pain, Corry, Pa., assignor to-Aero SupplyMfg. G Inc., Corry, Pa.

Application October 18, 1943, Serial No. 506.743 8 Claims. (01014-5531) i a f f This invention relates to a friction adjustment for levers-mounted on "a common pivot.

In throttle controlsor quadrantsused for regulating airplane enginesQaplurality of levers are rockably mounted'on a common pivot and heretofore the frictional resistance of these levers has been regulated by means of a single tensioning device. This prior tensioning device has not been entirely satisfactory because of thefact that the same'frictional resistance was placed on all of the-levers, whereas it is desirable that there be a differential frictional resistance on certain ones of the levers. "It is therefore "an object of this invention to provide in combinationwith a throttlecontrol or quadrant for airplanes concentrically arranged and independently tensionablefriction means whereby certain ones ofthe levers forming the control may be adjusted as to tension different from the other levers. In this way 'the pilot may adjust the tension on one or more levers so thatthey may be rocked withonly slight pressure whereas others of the leversm'ay beadjusted so that heavier pressure must be exerted to rock the same.

Another object "ofthis invention is to provide a to and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings wherein is shown an embodiment of the inven tion; but it is to be understood that changes, modifications and variations may be resorted to scope of the invention as claimed. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a detail front elevation of a throttle control or quadrant having an adjustable friction meansembodied therein,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on 2-2 ofFigure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken-on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1, a p f Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, l

Figure 5 is a sectional 5-5 of Figure 3,

the line view taken on the line Figure 6115 a sectional view taken orgithe lin 6-6of Figure 3,

Figure! is a sectional view taken on the line 1 1 ofFigure 3,

Figure 8 is an enlargedfragmentary vertical section through'the central portion of the device, and

Figure!) is a diagrammatic view showing the differential friction (adjustment structure.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I0 designates generally a quadrant which .is formedof a frame Ila having levers'll, l2 and i3 pivotally mounted therein. Thelever I1 is the mainthrottle leverand is adapted to be connected to the throttle regulating means for an airplane engine. The lever I2 maybe a mixture adjusting lever connected to the carburetor for adjusting the mixture of fuel, and the lever I3 is a manually adjustable lever connected to the propeller pitch adjusting mechanism. 1

The three levers .arerockably mounted on a common pivot which isfin the form of a'cylindrical member 14. )The member l4 hasa head or block l5 threaded into one end thereof which is secured by fastening members 16 to the rear of the "frame lid. The forward end ofthe cylindrical pivot member I l isformed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart tongues. l1 forming spaces [8 therebetween. A plate or head [9 whichis formed with tongues or fingers 20 is adapted to engage in the end of the pivotniember l4 opposite from thehead l5,the tongues 20 projecting through the openings or slots I8 between the fingers H. The plate or head I9 is adapted to seat in a rabbet or annular recess 2! which. is

is formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart'tongues or fingers 28 forming slots 29 therebetween. The tongues or fingers 28 are of a width such that'they willslidingly engage in the slots 25 of the rear sleeve 23. The hub of the main throttle lever. .l l is rockably mounted on the periphery of the rear sleeve Hand is spaced forwardly from the .rear frame member 21 by 5 means of a pair of combined spacer and friction elements 39 and 3|. A friction ring 32 is interposed between the spacer and friction member 3| and the rear side. of the hub of the lever II. A spacer 33 is mounted on the sleeve 23 on the forward side of the lever II and a friction ring 34 is interposed between the rear end of the spacer 33 and the forward side of the hub of the lever II. The spacer 33 has secured thereto an electrical coupling element 35 by means of which wires may be extendedinto the interior of the hollow pivot member I4 and then extended upwardly through an arcuate slot '36 formed in the Y pivot member I4 and another arcuate slot 31 registering with the slot 36 which is formed in the sleeve 23. The Wires are then extended up- Wardly along the length of the lever 'I I 'to the combined knob and switch 38 which is mounted on the upper end of the lever II. v r

A pressure ring 39 is slidingly mounted on the sleeve 33 and is formed on the inner edgethereof with a plurality ofinwardly projecting lugs 49 projecting into the slots 25 between the tongues 24. The tongues 28 of the sleeve 26 are adapted to engage the lugs 49 so that endwise pressure or tension placed on the sleeve 26 will communicate this pressure to the tongues 40, the pressure ring 39, and through the spacer 33 this pressure will be communicated to the friction rings 34 and 32. A ring 4| is slidingly mounted on the pivot member I4 and bears at its rear side against the forward end of the sleeve 26.

The ring 4| is tensioned by means of a resilient spider 42 which has the arms 43 thereof loosely engaging in slots 44 formed in the pivot member I4 rearwardly of the slots I8. The spider 42 is mounted on a centrally disposed bolt 45 which is threaded at its rear end in the plate I and extends centrally through the pivot member I4. A pressurelplate 46 of disc shape is slidingly mounted within the pivot member I4 and slidingly mounted on the bolt 45, bearing at its rear side against the forward side of the resilient spider 42. A'sleeve 41 is slidingly mounted on the bolt 45. and bears at its rear end against the plate 46.

Ahand wheel or nut 48 is threaded on the forward end of the bolt4z5 and a washer 49 is interposed between the rear'side ofthe Wheel or nut 48'and the forward end'of the sleeve 41. Adjustment endwise of the wheel or nut 48 will vary the tension applied to'the sleeve 26 through" the resilient spider 42 and thereby provide forthe desired friction being applied through the pressure.

ring 39, the spacer 43 to thefriction rings '32 and 34.

Thelever I2 is rockably mounted on the sleeve 26forwa'rdly of. the pressure ring 39 and friction washers or rings 50 and 5| are disposed on the rear and forward sides respectively of the hub of the lever I2. A rear ring 52 is interposed between the rear friction ring 59 and the forward side 'of the pressure ring 39. The ring 52 isprovided with a plurality of inwardly projecting lugs'53 which loosely engage inthe slots 29 of the'sleeve 26. A movable spacer ring 54 which is L-shaped in transverse section is slidingly mounted on the sleeve 26 forwardly of the friction ring 5|. The spacer 54 is of inverted L-shape and loosely encloses the pressure ring 4| for the main lever I I.

Friction rings or washers 55. and 56 are disposed on the rear and'forward sides ofthe hub' of the lever I3, the friction ring. 55 bearing against the forwardend of the spacer ring 54. A

lever tensioning resilient spider 5'! is slidinglymounted on the. pressure. sleeve 41 and hasthe I slots I8 in the central pivot member I4. The arms 58 of the spider 51 bear against the forward friction washer or ring 56 and the spider 51 is tensioned so as to apply the desired friction on 5 the levers I2 and I3 by means of a cylindrical nut 59 which is threaded through the head. or plate I9- and loosely engages about the sleeve 41. When the nut 59 is adjusted inwardly to tension the spider 51, the latter will move the levers I2 and I3 rearwardly a slight distance and against the rear spacer ring 52. This latter ring upon rearward movement thereof will have the in- 'wardly projecting lugs 53 thereof bear against the forward ends of the fingers or tongues 24, thereby stopping the rearward movement of the ring-52. *In-the drawings, there is disclosed in exaggerated form a relatively wide space between the rear sides of the lugs 53 and the forward-ends of the fingers 24. In actual practice,

this space is normally very slight so that the lugs 53 will only have a very small rearward movement to effect engagement of these lugs with the forward ends of the fingers 24. In order to provide a means whereby the hand wheel 48 may not be rotated off of thebolt 45, I have provided a limit nut or stop 60 which is threaded and pinned or otherwise firmly secured on the forward end of the bolt 45.

In the use and operation of this throttle control or quadrant, the nut 59 may be adjusted by means of a wrench or the like to apply the desired friction to the two levers I2 and I3. The pilot of the planemay readily adjust the friction on lever II by turning the wheel or nut 48 inwardly. Inward adjustment of the nut or wheel 48 will move the sleeve 41 inwardly, the latter moving the plate 46 and putting the spring spider 42 'under desired tension. Application of tension on the spider 42 will causepressure to be applied to the lever I through the ring 4|, sleeve 26, fingers 28 on the sleeve 26, lugs 40 on the ring 39, and pressure on the ring 39 will apply pressure to the spacer 33 from the latter to the friction washers 32 and 34 between which the hub of the lever II is rockably mounted. It will die apparent from the foregoing that any desired friction may be applied to the main lever II which may be more or less or equal to the friction applied to the levers I2 and I3. While to the nut'59 is disclosed as being a plain nut which may be engaged by a wrench or the like, it will be obvious that a handle or second hand wheel may be secured to the nut 59 so that the latter maybe easily and quickly adjusted to provide the 55 desired friction on the secondary levers I2 and What I claim is: I

1. In combination, apair of rock levers, a common hollow pivot for said levers, a sleeve slidable endwise on said pivot and disposed within the hub. of one of said levers and movable axially of saidhub, means on said pivot engageable with said sleeve upon endwise movement of the latter within the hub of said one lever for applying fric- G5 tional resistance to the other ofsaid levers, means for moving-said sleeve endwise, and means partly carried by said pivotand stationary relative thereto and partly carried by said sleeve and slidable on the latter for applying frictional resistance 7 to said one lever,

2. The combination as Set forth in claim 1 wherein said second and third means are-disposed at only one end of said pivot. v r

3. In combination, a pair of rock levers, 5 00mmi oiif t er o .loo ol rroio iiooj .ii roos iirslii hollow pivot for said lovers, o ooyeiqns d pivot engaging within the hub of one lever and immovable endwise, said sleeve having spaced fingers at one end, a second sleeve on said pivot engaging within the hub of the other lever and movable endwise on said pivot, spaced fingers carried by said second sleeve engaging between the fingers of said first sleeve, meansabout said first sleeve engaging in the spaces between the fingersof said first sleeve and engageable with the fingers of saidsecond sleeve upon endwise movement of the latter in one direction to apply frictional resistanceto said one lever, and means for moving said second sleeve endwise in the direction of said first sleeve.

, 4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 which includes means independent of said first and second means for applying frictional resistance to said other lever. a

5. The combination as set forth in claim which includes means independent of said first and second means for applying frictional resistance to said other lever and said second and latter means being disposed atone end of said pivot.

6. In combination, a pair of rock levers, a common pivotal mounting for said levers, means for applying frictional resistance to the rocking of one 'of saidlevers, and a second means for applying frictional resistance to the rocking of the other of said levers, one of said means being disposed concentrically of and slidable interiorly of the other means, the endwise position of one lever remaining constant upon adjustment of the other lever, said first and second means projectingfrom one end of said mounting, and adjustable from a position adjacent said one end of said mounting, said first means including a stationary sleeve, an

' endwise movable sleeve confronting said stationary sleeve, an element engageable with and movsecond named means including a stationary part abutting said stationary sleeve and parts adjustable endwise along said movable sleeve for applying independent frictional resistance to said other lever.

'7. In combination, a pair of rock levers, a common hollow pivot for said levers, a sleeve slidable on said pivot, means at one end of said pivot for levers having a common pivotal mounting comable by said movable sleeve for applying frictional resistance to one lever independent of the frictional resistance of the other lever, said other lever being rockable on said movable sleeve and said prising a cylindrical stationary sleeve about said,

mounting and upon which one of said levers is rockable, a fixed annular abutment about said sleeve against which one side of said one lever is adapted to engage, a second sleeve slidable on said mounting, a fixed second annular abutment having means engaging against the inner end of said first sleeve whereby said second abutment willjbe held against endwise movement, said other lever being positioned at one side of said second abutment, endwise movable means carried by said first sleeve and non-rotatable relative thereto, and engageable with said second sleeve, for frictionally resisting rocking ofsaid first lever, pressure applying means engageable with said second sleeve to thereby hold said endwise movable means under predetermined pressure, and a second pressure applying means for placing said second lever under predetermined frictional resistance.

EDWIN F. PAIN. 

